Isaiah 19:12

Isaiah 19:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
• New International Version (NIV)Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make known what the Lord Almighty has planned against Egypt.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you that they might know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now, And let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.

Context of Isaiah 19:12

10Egypt’s weavers will be crushed. Those who work for money will be distressed. 11The leaders of Zoan are nothing but fools. The wisest of Pharaoh’s counselors gives stupid advice. How can you tell Pharaoh, “I’m a descendant of wise men, a descendant of ancient kings”? Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you. Let them explain what the Lord of Armies is planning against Egypt. 13The leaders of Zoan are acting foolishly. The leaders of Memphis are led astray. The leaders who are the cornerstones of its tribes mislead the Egyptians. 14The Lord mixes up their minds. So they lead the Egyptians astray like a drunk who staggers in his vomit.

Isaiah 19:12 word by word

אַיָּם֙ אֵפ֣וֹא חֲכָמֶ֔יךָ וְיַגִּ֥ידוּ נָ֖א לָ֑ךְ וְיֵ֣דְע֔וּ מַה־יָּעַ֛ץ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת עַל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereאַי'ay · where?H335
• they? whereאֵפוֹ'êphô 'êphô' · thenH645
• thy wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• and let them tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• thee now, and let them knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• what the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
• hath purposedיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• upon Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714

Cross-references for Isaiah 19:12

• Isaiah 5:21How horrible it will be for those who think they are wise and consider themselves to be clever.
• Isaiah 47:10You feel safe in your wickedness and say, “No one can see me.” Your wisdom and knowledge have led you astray, so you say to yourself, “I’m the only one, and there’s no one else.”
• Judges 9:38Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your big mouth now? You were the one who said, ‘Who’s Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Aren’t these the troops ⌞whose ruler⌟ you despised? Now go out and fight him.”
• Jeremiah 2:28Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them come and rescue you when you’re in trouble. You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!
• 1 Corinthians 1:20Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn’t God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?
• Isaiah 40:13Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or instructed him as his adviser?
• Isaiah 41:22“Bring ⌞your idols⌟ so they can tell us what’s going to happen. Explain past events that your idols told you about so that we may consider them and know what their outcome will be. Tell us about future events.
• Isaiah 44:7If there is anyone like me, let him say so. Let him tell me what happened when I established my people long ago. Then let him predict what will happen to them.
• Job 11:6He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, because ⌞true⌟ wisdom is twice ⌞as great as your wisdom⌟, and you would know that God forgets your sin.
• Romans 11:33God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways.

Commentaries on Isaiah 19:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12"Let them come" - Here too a word seems to have been left out of the text. After חכמיך chochameycha, thy wise men, two MSS., one ancient, add יבאו yibu, let them come; which, if we consider the form and construction of the sentence, has very much the appearance of being genuine: otherwise the connective conjunction at the beginning of the next member is not only superfluous but embarrassing. See also the Version of the Septuagint, in which the same…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Where are they? - This whole verse is an appeal by the prophet to the king of Egypt respecting the counselors and soothsayers of his kingdom. The sense is, a time of distress and danger is evidently coming upon Egypt. They pretend to be wise; and there is now occasion for all their wisdom, and opportunity to evince it. Let them show it. Let them declare what is coming upon the nation, and take proper measures to meet and remove it; and they will then…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Where are your wise men now?: Compare 1 Corinthians 1:20.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. let them know--that is, How is it that, with all their boast of knowing the future [Diodorus, 1.81], they do not know what Jehovah of hosts ...Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 19:12

• Sorcery
• War

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Wise men
• Lord of Hosts
• Evil
• Ezekiel
• Isaiah
• Wisdom
• wise, wisdom

Commentaries on Isaiah 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings